SnapshotCamino pilgrimage inspired haikus

Posted by Harvey Jenkins, author | Sunday September 8, 2013

Walker's view of the meseta along the Camino trail in Spain (Harvey Jenkins)

One foot in front of the other. That was the mantra as the path continued across this 'bread basket' of Spain.

—Harvey Jenkins, author

They
spent 39 days walking 800 kilometers along the famous Camino de
Santiago trail, an ancient Catholic pilgrimage.

In 2010, Harvey
Jenkins and his wife Sharron Bertchilde decided to embark on this famous
walk. "For over 1100 years, pilgrims have been walking the Camino. It
was special to be one of them and walk in ancient footsteps for close to
40 days in an unfamiliar landscape."

Cover for Haiku Moments on the Camino: France to Finisterre by Harvey Jenkins.

Jenkins recorded their journey with pictures, prose and haiku poetry in a book called Haiku Moments on the Camino: France to Finisterre.

Here's an example of one of his haikus:

email to loved oneswe continue our progressunder blazing skies

SCENE asked him to describe one of the photos he took to capture a moment along the way.

The landscape photo above is of the Camino path as it makes its way through the meseta or flat plains of Spain. It was the 21st day we were walking the Camino but only the fifth day on the meseta.

Author Harvey Jenkins and wife Sharron Bertchilde (H. Jenkins)

We stayed an extra night in Burgos to rest up for our walk through the meseta, a 250 kilometer stretch of hot and flat fields. We got up early each morning and started walking by 6:30 am to avoid the heat of the day but after three hours, the sun always found us.

When I took this picture, the blister on my left foot was healing and I was no longer limping. Still, I did not lift my head up to look at the scenery because the scenery did not change.

One foot in front of the other. That was the mantra as the path continued across this 'bread basket' of Spain...

The launch of Haiku Moments on the Camino: France to Finisterre takes place on Sunday September 8 at 2 p.m. at McNally Robinson.

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